Windows Phone Blue update slated for WP8 handsets this winter

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A Microsoft job listing has confirmed that this winter will be when the next major Windows Phone update will go down. The update, dubbed Windows Phone Blue, has been highly rumoured in recent months.

The listing by Microsoft for a software development engineer said: "This is a great time to join as we’re completing our current release and getting ready for our next release targeting the holiday of this year and we’re chartered with keeping the momentum for Windows Phone by bringing new killer devices and delightful user experiences."

First spotted by WMPowerUser, the listing doesn't confirm the Windows Phone Blue codename or what the name at launch may be.

Furthermore, reports have noted that several user-interface enhancements and kernel updates will be included to provide a better experience. It's not clear what "killer new devices" will launch with Blue, but we suspect they may feature 1080p displays.

While speaking to reporters, Microsoft's senior marketing manager Greg Sullivan confirmed that the company would focus on Windows Phone 8 and building out its functionality.

"We're going to have an upgrade path going forward. Windows Phone 8 can evolve. We have an architecture that enables portability and is fundamentally hardware independent," said Sullivan. "As the market evolves and customer requirements demand it, we'll evaluate options."

Before Windows Phone Blue, Microsoft is also said to be releasing WP8 GDR2 as early as mid-May, rumours have suggested. According to ZDNet, there is even a third update in the pipeline for later this year, before the Blue update.

Along with an update to WP8, Blue is also said to be extending to the desktop with a focus on UI and under-the-hood changes.